Dell Technologies released new research revealing the readiness of employees in Asia-Pacific & Japan (APJ) for long-term remote work. In the inaugural Remote Work Readiness (RWR) Index, it was found that more than eight in 10 (81 per cent) surveyed employees in APJ feel that they are prepared for long-term remote work but express concerns such as blurring boundaries between work and personal lives.
Surveying over 7,000 working professionals aged 18 years and above from the Asia Pacific & Japan (APJ) region, the RWR Index captured data on employees’ attitudes and sentiments towards long-term remote work, as well as their needs in terms of technology and human resource (HR)-related support important for its success.
“The events of 2020 have redefined the way we work where work is no longer anchored to one place and time, but by outcomes,” said Jean-Guillaume Pons, vice president, Client Solutions Group, Asia Pacific, Japan and Greater China, Dell Technologies. “With remote and/or hybrid work arrangements becoming the new reality, it will be critical for employers to provide employees with the necessary technology and HR-related support. The Remote Work Readiness Index presents a platform for us to help organisations in APJ understand employees’ needs to remain engaged and productive working from anywhere in the long term.”
According to the research, employers have an ongoing task to understand the challenges employees continue to face and to provide the necessary resources for successful long-term remote work.
When it comes to employers’ efforts to provide the necessary technology resources to work remotely, only half (50 per cent) of surveyed employees feel that their employers are doing everything they can. During the implementation of lockdown measures, surveyed employees cited unstable remote networks, including Internet bandwidth constraints (31 per cent), as their greatest technology challenge. They also faced issues accessing internal company resources (29 per cent) and had to contend with using personal productivity equipment or tools (28 per cent) for work.
As a result, employees stated that they want employers to provide productivity equipment or tools (39 per cent) and ensure that they have access to internal company resources (36 per cent).
In terms of HR support, APJ surveyed employees cited the top challenge being the lack of in-person communication (41 per cent). Other significant challenges are a lack of learning and development sessions, including training for virtual tools (39 per cent), insufficient best practice training for remote working, and outdated policies and guidelines for remote work (38 per cent).
To successfully manage long-term remote work, surveyed employees want learning and development sessions, including training for virtual tools (48 per cent), best practices training for remote working (47 per cent) and team engagement initiatives (46 per cent).
“Technology readiness, leadership and a resilient culture are critical factors in helping teams do their best work,” added Pons. “At Dell Technologies, we understand the challenges organisations face, and have been helping them realise a truly flexible, mobile and secure work setting modelled after our Connected Workplace programme. We encourage employers to reflect on the best remote work practices and proactively evolve it for the new environment.”
